I first met Sleazy in 1975 when we were both in our early twenties. We immediately hit it off - talking endlessly about films, the merits of John Barry or Martin Denny's arrangements, the aesthetics of gay vs straight porn, the why's & wherefores of programming in Basic, or the best place in London to get a decent ice cream sundae. Sleazy was the first person to give me an Abba album, in 1976 - and it being Sleazy it was of course a 'signed' copy.
Over the 30 odd years we knew each other mine and Cosey's relationship with him got closer as we grew older and spent more time together - lately comparing our various ailments and aches & pains, or the latest Apple gadget. There was (there is) nobody else on this little blue rock that I shared such disparate and diverse interests with, no one.
I last saw Sleazy about a week ago, just before he left for home to his beloved Bangkok. He was clutching a bag full of Apple goodies and he never looked happier or, ironically, healthier. He had new schemes and plans for X-TG's future and was looking forward to finishing the Desertshore project and playing us rough mixes of "his baby". He gave Cosey and me each a kiss and one of his infamous 'bear hugs', jumped in a waiting taxi and was gone… forever.
To quote the same movie three times (including the title):
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain..."
"The light that burns twice as bright burns for half as long - and you have burned so very, very brightly…"
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11 comments:
does sleazy dream of magick sheep?
Thanks Chris, a lovely post... Because TG have been such an important part of my life since my early teens, the news of Peter's death is hard to believe... I never met him, but we swapped some emails one time, after I bugged him about re-issuing old Coil stuff, and his emails were friendly and kind, and perhaps he didn't know it, but that brief contact from one of my heros made me very happy. It's something I will always cherish...
Thank you for sharing this with us, Mr. Carter. I am sorry for your loss. The music of Mr. Christopherson has been with me through the best and worst of my own life, and I'm sorry that his own was cut far too short.
Thank you for this beautiful and tender post.
I love the photograph because i was following you all from the very beginning.
The music of Peter and all of you guys had and have a big influence in my life.
So sorry that he had to leave us already, so sorry for your loss and i wish you all the best and lots of strength.
Thank you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOW4QiOD-oc
I met him in Chicago at the TG concert there when he signed my copy of Third Mind Movements; I told him I was looking forward to receiving the new Soisong CD, hoping "this time I won't have to destroy the packaging to get it open" and he laughed so delightedly and mischievously... So obviously a gentle and relaxed soul... A pleasure and a privilege to meet him, even if only for a minute. I'm hoping some of the material he was working on will be made available soon in his memory. R.I.P. Peter!!
An absolutely lovely post from a very lovely man, about his very lovely friend. Thank you for that. Richard AKA Synthesizerbook
The Roy Batty references are very apt. (Attended the Premiere of the Director's Cut here in LA back in 1992. Rutger Hauer got up to speak after the film was over; we gave him a standing ovation. Still my Greatest Movie Ever Made.)
Though I never met him, I saw TG in Culver City California in 1981 and sat right behind Peter at a Stockhausen performance at Sónar in Barcelona back in 2000. (I couldn't get into the Coil performance at Sónar as it was far too rammed, the line went down the street.)
Seeing him there in Barcelona was like the closing of a circle; Coil's "The Snow" EP proved to be one of the "gateway drugs" I needed to transition from the Industrial scene I'd inhabited to the Rave scene - something for which I am forever grateful to Sleazy (and others) for. I only wish I had not been out of the country when TG came to Coachella last year.
I'm not sure what's worse - the sadness that this seminal voice for experimental music has been stilled, or being completely unnerved that someone so close to me in age (only 3 1/2 years older) could pass away in their sleep.
From "2nd Annual Report" to "Force The Hand Of Chance" to "Horse Rotorvator" to "The Snow" to "The Endless Not" - the man's rich musical legacy is unassailable.
Fare Thee Well, Unkle Sleazy P.
I first heard about Peter Christopherson when I read the New Years special of a teen pop magazine named 'Smash Hits' in 1984. There was an article about PTV and I was both appalled and inquisitive. I immediately searched about T.G. and I was hooked.
It was later that I found out that Sleazy was a partner in Hipgnosis. He designed many of my favorite album covers.
His work was truly original, no one could emulate him. One of a kind.
I finally met Peter on last years T.G. tour of the states and he was a true gentlemen. He did not disappoint.
The world will be a less enriching place without Peter. May you rest in peace.
Hello, Chris.
Here is my tribute to Peter:
http://cordialconstriction.blogspot.com/2010/11/peter-christopherson-aka-sleazy-1955.html
http://cordialconstriction.blogspot.com/2010/11/fire-of-mind-coil.html
Thank you, Sleazy.
Best wishes, Chris.
Thank you Chris for the post in memory of a great man. Peter was very much my mentor as a teenager. He was able to redirect all of my youthful anger and disappointment into positive energy by politely questioning my perspectives and encouraging me to be strong enough to be myself. I love him very much and wish him the greatest experiences in the journey beyond. Nick Alvarez
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